In its 2008-09 audit report, CAG observed the navy was forced to cannibalize spare parts to keep its fleet going

New Delhi: Procurement delays, including the purchase of battery systems that have led to submarine fires, were affecting the Indian Navyâ€™s hardware and could even make its aviation wing ineffective, two official audits had warned the government as much as five years ago.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) made the worrying observations in its 2008-09 and 2010-11 reports but recent incidents involving the navy show the government did little to correct the situation.
Navy chief Admiral D.K. Joshi quit on Wednesday after a submarine mishap, the latest in a series of incidents that have haunted the force in the last year. Wednesdayâ€™s fire on board the INS Sindhuratna, injuring seven sailors and killing two officers off the coast of Mumbai, was the 10th accident in the last seven months involving a naval vessel, and the third involving a submarine.
The Indian Navy has 14 submarines and recent accidents have included INS Sindhughosh running aground, and INS Sindhurakshak sinking after fire and blasts.

â€œThe process of procurement of Battery Monitoring System urgently needed for submarines witnessed inordinate delays,â€ the auditor warned in its 2008-09 report. â€œThe systems costing Rs.3.68 crore were yet to be installed. The systems have remained idle for three years and their warranty period has expired.â€

Even where parts were ordered, they sometimes did not match requirements, the CAG said. The navy, it revealed, was forced to cannibalize spare parts to keep its fleet going.

â€œThe spares requirement of the Chariot crafts (which are used for attacking harbour facilities and sabotaging enemy ships) are being met by cannibalizing spares from three Chariots converted for the purpose, thereby hampering operational capability.â€
In its 2010-11 audit, the CAG had said the Naval Aviation Wingâ€™s â€œquality of aircraft for reconnaissance and other roles is relatively poor as at any given point, almost two-thirds of the aircraft assets are under repair, maintenance or storage. Several operational assets are functioning suboptimally with either obsolescent equipment or unproven modifications.â€

The auditor said â€œdespite the fact that the age of the assets requires quick and effective repair and maintenance, audit found that these activities need greater focus and better management. Finally, augmentation of the Wingâ€™s assets both with respect to technology and numbers is critical as delayed and flawed modernization programmes have not yielded desired benefitsâ€.
These had made the aviation wing â€œvulnerable to the growing sophistication of enemy capabilityâ€, it warned.
Defence minister A.K. Antony on Thursday said he had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and consulted â€œeverybodyâ€ before accepting the resignation of a â€œtotally upsetâ€ Admiral Joshi on Wednesday.

Antony, who has come under fire from retired senior naval officers for the promptness with which he accepted Joshiâ€™s resignation, said, â€œI consulted everybody. I met the prime minister also. Ultimately, we took a decision to accept the resignation.â€
Describing Joshi as a â€œvery good Admiralâ€ and a â€œfine human beingâ€, Antony said he is â€œsadâ€ about the whole development.
â€œYesterday Admiral Joshi met me personally and he handed over (his) resignation letter and requested me to accept the letter with immediate effect,â€ he told reporters.

â€œHe was very disturbed by the whole development. He is very fine human being and a very good admiral. He was totally upset about the whole development. He said he would like to take the whole responsibility, so he requested me to accept his resignation with immediate effect.â€